Locomotive boiler fire box



Sept. 15, 1931. E. F. SMITH LOCOMOTIVE BOILER FIRE BOX Filed Sept. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 15, 1931. E. F. SMITH 1,822,937

LOGMOTIVE BOILER FIRE BOX Filed Sept. 28 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TDfQTLOI' a a r g i g E I I r mm TIL Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED EMMETT FRANK SMITH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LOCOMOTIVE BOILER FIRE BOX Application filed September 28, 1928. Serial No. 308,946.

This invention relates to improvements in locomotive boiler fireboxes and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particulary pointed out in the appended 5 claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in a siphon equipped locomotive firebox, a hollow water heating member which extends between the side sheets of the firebox 10 and said siphons to not only take the place of the usual arch brick but also to increase the water steaming and circulating efficiency of the associated boiler.

The above mentioned object together with others as well as the many advantages of the invention will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View through the firebox end of a locomotive boiler embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the same as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the hollow water arch members embodied in my improved construction.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates the invention as when applied to a firebox of a width less than the one shown in said Fig. 2. 7

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the back or door sheet of the firebox and 2 indicates the flue sheet thereof and forming a continuation of the flue sheet is the inside throat sheet 3. The sides of thefirebox are formed by the side sheets 44 and the top of the firebox is provided by the transversely arched or curved crown sheet 5 which merges into the side sheets. The said side sheets and crown sheet extend between and are connected at their ends to the back sheet 1 and flue and throat sheets 2 and 3 respectively, the crown sheet being inclined upwardly toward the flue sheet end in the usual manner.

The wrapper of the boiler includes a roof sheet 6 and a back head 7, outer firebox sheets 8-8 and an outer throat sheet 9, together with the boiler shell 10 all in the manner well known. The front and rear water legs 11 and 12 respectively and the side water legs 1313 are all closed at the bottom by a mud ring 14, while the bottom of the firebox is formed by the grate indicated by the dotted line 15 in Fig. 1. In the back head and back sheet respectively is formed the fuel door opening 16 and extending forwardly from the flue sheet are the fines or tubes 17 through which the products of combustion from the firebox are drawn to the smoke box at the front end of the boiler (not shown) in the manner well known. The roof sheet and crown sheet are connected by the usual staybolts 18 as are the side sheets 4 and 8. The construction described is typlcal of that type of locomotive boiler now in general use and need not be described in greater detail.

In connection with the firebox structure above described, there is usually employed therewith one or more water steaming and circulating elements, now well known as the Nicholson thermic siphon, the number of such elements employed in a firebox being dependent upon the width of the firebox. In

Fig. 2 which represents a relatively wide firebox, two of such siphons are embodied therein, while in Fig. 5 which represents a relatively narrow firebox, only'one of such siphons is embodied therein, the siphons or siphon in each instance being indicated as a whole by the numeral 19.

The siphon is a substantially triangular hollow element which includes parallel staybolted side Walls 2020 and front and rear end walls 2122 of different heights. The bottom of said element is closed by a bulged portion 23 which is inclined forwardly and downwardly and terminates in a tubular neck 95 and said neck is fixed in a suitable flexible diaphragm portion 25 in the throat sheet 3. The siphon is open at its top end which is defined by an outwardly extending flange and said flange is Welded to those parts of the crown sheet defining an opening therein with which the open top end of the siphon registers. In securing said flange to the crown sheet, certain of the staybolts 18 are utilized to pass through said flange to make the connection between the siphon and crown sheet more secure and rigid.

WVhen two of such siphons are employed in a firebox as best shown in Fig. 2 they are disposed equal distances from the median line of the crown sheet and when only one of such siphons is employed as in the narrow firebox illustrated in Fig. 5, then said siphon is disposed on said median line. Heretofore brick arches were employed in connection with such siphons and the spaces between the siphon or siphons and the side sheets of the firebox were arched by brick, the latter being supported at one side by and on the side sheets of the firebox and at the other side by engaging directly on the bulged portion of the siphon or siphons. Such brick arches though heretofore employed, have not proven to be as practical as desired. The brick would fuse together and would burn out, requiring expensive lay up time for the locomotive for the renewal of brick. Again as they just lay in engagement with the side sheets and siphons, a real mechanical abrasion and wear upon said sheets and siphons occurred.

To obviate the side brick of the arch and to increase the water steaming and circulating efficiency of the boiler as a whole, I provide the following construction. Between the siphon or siphons and the side sheets is located a hollow arch element 26 which is rectangular when viewed in plan and which element is best shown in Fig. 4. Such an arch element comprises spaced top and bottom walls 27 and 28 respectively, suitably staybolted together as at 29, front and rear end walls 30 and 31 respectively and a side wall 32, said siphon being open along the opposite side.

The side wall 32 is of such a profile as to correspond with the profile of the unction corner between the side walls of the siphon and the bulged portion thereof while the open side of said element is defined by a flange 33. In the front end wall of the element about midway between its sides is formed an inlet opening defined by a short annular flange 84:.

In installing such elements in a siphon equipped locomotivefirebox, I cut-out from each side sheet l, a section which will leave an elongated opening of an area adapted to snugly receive the flange 33 of the arch element, the major axis of said opening extendingin a plane parallel with but slightly above that of the bulged portion 23 of the associated siphon. After the flange has thus been fitted to said opening, it is butt welded thereto as best indicated at 33 in Fig. 3 and then staybolts '18 are employed to connect said flange to the outside sheets 8 of the firebox. A short length of seamless tubing 35 is then butt welded at one end to the flange 3% of said element and is also welded at its other end in an opening provided therefor in the throat sheet 2, to one side of the diaphragm portion 25 in which the siphon neck is'fixed. If desired the opening in said flue sheet for said tubing 35' which provides the inlet neck for the arch element may also be formed in a diaphragm portion 36 in said sheet. I

When such an element is in place, it curves downwardly and inwardly toward the associated siphon but asbestshown in Fig. 3, the side wall 32 of said arch element is spaced from and in no manner engages the said siphon. Thus both the siphon and arch elements are free to expand and contract under "temperature changes without interference the one with the other.

Where more than one siphon is employed in a firebox as in Fig. 2 the space between adjacent surfaces of the siphons is closed by a rch brick 37 which brick rest at their sides upon the bulged portions of the siphons.

In operation, the siphons'19 will act to take water from the front throat 11 and discharge it at'a higher temperature as steam and water into the water space above the crown sheet. The arch elements being subjected over their entire surface to the products of combustion in the firebox will set up a siphonic action to cause a rapid circulation of boiler water from the lower water portion thereof, upwardly into the side water legs and as said arch elements are higher at their flanged or discharged ends, the circulation of such water as well as the steaming thereof is greatly increased.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the 1111-. proved construction not only increases water steaming and circulating efficiencies of the boiler but takes the places of theusual side brick of the arch. The-structure described may be readily made and may be ,as readily installed in siphon equipped fireboxes all "ready in service as well as in new ones.

While in describing my invention I have referred in detail to the form, construction and arrangement of parts thereof, the same.

is to be considered as merely illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention and hence I do not wish to be'limited thereto except as may be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In combination-wlth a locomotive firebox includmg side'sheets and a front sheet, a

,water circulating element connected .at one end to said front sheet and extending up-.

wardly and rearwardlytherefrom, a hollow water arch member disposed between one of said side sheets and said Water circulating element, said arch element being open at one side and being fixed in said side sheet and closed at its other side which is disposed adjacent to but out of engagement with said water circulating element and means connecting the front end of said arch element with and opening through said front sheet.

2. In combination with a siphon equipped locomotive firebox including side sheets and a front sheet, hollow water arch elements each fixed at one side in and opening through an associated side sheet and each closed at its other side which is disposed adjacent to but spaced from opposite sides of a siphon and means providing a tubular neck between the front end of each arch element and said front sheet.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 24 day of September, 1928.

EMMETT FRANK SMITH. 

